The Moment After Everything Stops
by KitsuneMeimu
Summary: How it lasted seven years, none would be able to properly explain. In the end when so much was lost and the inexpressable had accured, all that was left was broken pieces and a sixth Hokage who refused to be the Rokudaime.


Everything stopped for Team 7.

Otogakaru had finally attacked what seemed like years ago, time was lost in the fight. They had attacked, been driven back, and attempted retreat. It was at that point when Tsunade, the fifth Hokage of Konohagakaru, had finally decided she had enough. She sent everything at them. She would shred the enemy and turn them to ashes with only the will of fire.

Orochimaru had been killed in the original attack, causing his villages retreat. All that needed to be sacrificed was the few hundred shinobi taken down by himself and his snakes. As well as the death of one man, this made Tsunade lose all forms of empathy. Jaraiya would have a hero's funeral.

At long last, Kabuto was taken down by Sakura. His chakra scalpels being anticipated as well as being his trump card had made the success easy enough for the prodigious medical Nin.

The newest formed Sound Four were quickly dispatched by the powerful Rookie Nine with the help of Team Gai. The loss of Akamaru and TenTen was quickly achieved as well. Neji was forced to stay in Konoha under supervision. One's best friend and wife were hard loses. The death of TenTen and Neji's previously unknown and unborn child was even harder.

It had been seven years since the desertion of Uchiha, Sasuke. Seven years since the declaration of war from Oto to Konoha. Four years since the first attempt at 'rescuing' the last Uchiha and one year since the last. Orochimaru had found a better host than that of the Sharingan. Uchiha, Itachi had been killed by the hands of his little brother. And still, the last Uchiha remained with the enemy.

The order had been given, 'Uchiha, Sasuke has been a missing nin for years. He has held many opportunities to return. He is from this day forward on the Hunter Nin's list. He _will_ be disposed of.'

Tsunade's declaration hit them all hard, those who knew the Uchiha heir. Uzamaki, Naruto nearly abandoned Konoha.

But all the past instances; friends and fellow shinobi lost. The betrayal of their own. The many fights to the seemingly death between Sasuke and Naruto. Every bit of it froze in their worlds.

The fight continued around them. Sound nin, in their panics of lose, didn't bother to attack the distracted Sakura and Naruto. Neither remembered why they had suddenly

_needed _to look in that specific direction at that specific moment in time. In that split second they couldn't remember why it was that this site cause their heart to break and their voices scream.

Sakura nor Naruto bothered to recognize the mournful tears falling from both of Kakashi's eyes. They didn't know that if they spared a glance they'd finally see a smile on Sasuke's face. The regretful and happy kind that said he really didn't want it to happen, but it was needed. They were too far away to hear and their eyes were too occupied to see Sasuke thank Kakashi for everything as the two chidori's blazed between them.

What most people, Team Seven not included, never realize is that a split second takes forever to finish and ends all too soon. The ice cracked and their worlds unfroze.

Sakura and Naruto recognized their voices in the air, loud and horror filled. Kakashi recognized the site and feel of blood. Sasuke recognized that his wrongfully lived existence was coming to an end and all he had to show was the slightly charred shoulder of Kakashi's Jounin uniform.

A single funeral was held for the many lives lost in the Oto-Konoha war. Jaraiya would have laughed to see his picture raised slightly higher than the others. Among the Rookie Nine, well, they were no longer nine.

Shino would tell you that Kiba missed Akamaru and simply wanted to visit. 'The baka probably didn't realize he couldn't come back if he went that way.' He vehemently blamed Hinata's death on her father and clan. 'If they believed in her more, she would have held on instead of given up!' The survivors all agreed that they had never seen Shino this upset.

Chouji will often say that it was Ino's need for a romantic ending that made her jump into that battle with the higher skilled ninja who defeated her beloved Shikamaru. 'She should have acted more intelligent, less romantic, and checked if I was dead.' would be Shikamaru retaliation.

Team Gai was never the same again after the lose of TenTen. Her ability to keep Neji calm towards Lee's exuberant nature was truly what held them together.

Haruno, Sakura quit the shinobi lifestyle. She spends her days as a highly respected doctor of Konoha's hospital and often receives visiting practitioners.

Hatake, Kakashi re-joined the ANBU. He refuses to spend any unnecessary moments with Sakura and his only inspiration is that maybe he'll be killed on a mission. It happens so often anyway.

Uzamaki, Naruto is lost in a coma in Konoha's hospital where he re-lives the last moments of his waking life every instant.

_Naruto reached them just a moment ahead of Sakura, kneeling down beside where Kakashi had placed Sasuke's head. The wound was just to the side of his heart, but he wouldn't live. The fact that Sakura didn't even try to heal him proved that. _

_"Naruto." Sasuke's voice was strained as he reached with his left hand to pull Naruto down. It was more than shocking, to the three uninjured, when Sasuke forced Naruto's lips onto his own in a soft and desperate kiss. _

_When they separated Sasuke pulled him even closer to whisper in his ear, "I'm never leaving you behind me again, dobe." _

Naruto never knew what happened after that. He would never learn that, in a desperate attempt to fulfill _something_, Sasuke had slammed a half formed Chidori into his heart. He would, however, continue living that single moment for five and half years. At the end of which the 'bastard fox' would loose hope and allow the boys heart for fall to pieces.

There never would be a Rokudaime. Konohamaru refused to take on that name and will only answered to when refered to as the seventh. For the only true holder of the Rokudaime title was his Naruto-onnisan.


End file.
